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Mission Statement and Rationale

The Mission of the Visual and Performing Arts Academy (VPA) at Ellsworth High School is to provide a rigorous, comprehensive and technology infused arts program that will prepare our students for postsecondary education, careers, or other creative fields and instill a lifelong appreciation for the arts.

Ellsworth High School has a long tradition of graduating numerous students who pursue postsecondary education and careers in the arts. Each year 5-15 students choose Visual and Performing Arts as their lifelong passion. Over the past year we have had students placed at some of the most prestigious and competitive colleges in their fields such as Emerson College, Rhode Island School of Design, Boston University, American Academy of the Dramatic Arts, Savannah College of Art and Design, and Berklee College of Music to name a few. Our alumni are becoming successful artists and performers all over the nation and world appearing in film, theatre, and television as well as becoming working artists, teachers, and creators. We know that the VPA program at Ellsworth High School draws students to choose our school from among many in the region. We have had students travel from as far away as Castine, Cherryfield, and Bangor to participate in our program. The VPA Academy capitalizes on our already successful offerings while adding additional rigor, coursework, and providing flexibility in scheduling to make it possible for many to choose this honors pathway whether they pursue Visual and Performing Arts as a major or not.